Firefighters gather behind a home at 754 Nicol St. in Nanaimo on Tuesday. Multiple emergency services including RCMP and B.C. Ambulance were at the scene for several hours. A police investigation is ongoing.
(CHRIS BUSH/The News Bulletin)

7-year-old girl among three dead in Nanaimo house fire

Nanaimo RCMP have confirmed a seven-year-old girl is among the victims of a Nanaimo house fire that killed three people today.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, police confirmed the bodies of the girl and two adults were found in a Nicol Street residence when officials responded to a house fire at about 12:30 p.m.

“This is a terrible tragedy to hit our community,” Cpl. Jon Stuart said in the statement. “We are working with the fire department to investigate this incident.”

The RCMP Serious Crime Unit and the coroner’s office are also part of the investigation, which police described as likely to be lengthy due to the complexity of cases involving fires.

Multiple emergency services secured the area at 754 Nicol St. at about 12:30 p.m.

The statement goes on to indicate family has been notified, as well as School District 68 officials, where the girl was a student. However the names of the deceased are not being released at this time.

A media conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday morning in Nanaimo.